America On Stage Judge Training
Thank you for judging! We are
excited to have you as our judge. Hopefully, this page will help you with tips
on being a good judge here at America On Stage!
START HERE:
Click on the score sheets below and then follow along with the instructions
below.
Print them off if necessary.
How to Judge at America On Stage
Mark your Initials and the Team number on each score sheet
at the top right.
There are TWO sides to each score sheet - Technical Merit
and Artistic Expression
Technical
Merit
Here you score dancers on how their TECHNIQUE is.
Look at the definitions on the score sheet.
Terms are there for
-SPECIFIC Technique
-Difficulty of the Dancer's Technique
-Difficulty of the Routine's Technique
-Dancer's Execution of Technique
-Dancer's Interaction
-Specific thoughts on the Beginning, Middle or Ending
When dancers do something positive, put a + by the
term
When dancers do something positive, put a CIRCLE by the term
(or circle the term).
Leave comments to the right on what is marked |
Artistic
Expression
Here you score dancers on how their SHOWMANSHIP
and PRESENTATION is.
Look at the definitions on the score sheet.
Terms are there for
-SPECIFIC Choreography. What did you think of the choreography.
-Dancer's Showmanship
-Dancer's Presentation
-Dancer's Appearance
-Dancer's Music
When dancers do something positive, put a + by the
term
When dancers do something positive, put a CIRCLE by the term
(or circle the term).
Leave comments to the right on what is marked
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How many comments to leave?
We encourage you to have TWICE as many positive marks
as negative. A dancer always wants to know what to work on,
but with positive feedback, dancers often are encourage to improve.
Add Plus and Circle marks by Terms and them comment on them quickly.
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How to mark?
The
Score Sheet is designed so you can mark and comment quickly and
efficiently.
Dance Categories (Jazz,
Contemporary, etc)
You need to give
THREE scores on this
score sheet.
1. Circle a score based on what you think they deserve for
Technique
Perfect - 1st Place - 2nd Place - 3rd Place
- 4th Place
2. Circle a score based on what you think they deserve for
Artistic Impression
Perfect - 1st Place - 2nd Place - 3rd Place
- 4th Place
Use Perfect for those amazing
teams.
Use 4th Place for really struggling teams
Most teams will score in the 1st, 2nd, or 3rd Place
areas.
Justify your score with your
PLUSES, CIRCLES and COMMENTS.
Tell them what to work on and let them know what they
also did well.
3. Give each entry a "Judges
Bonus Score" (Overall Impression) at
thebottom right between 5 - 9.
5, 6 = Bonus. 7,8,9 = HIGH GOLD Bonus.
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Scoring Breakdown
1st Place High Gold: Two 1st Places and 7+ Bonus
Perfect score/1st Place = High Gold
1st Place: Two 1st Places .5 or .6 Bonus
1st Place/2nd Place 7- 9 = 1st
1st Place/2nd Place 5- 6 = 2nd
2nd Place: Two 2nd Places
2nd Place/3rd Place 7- 9 = 2nd
2nd Place/3rd Place 5- 6 = 3rd
3rd Place: Two 3rd Places
4th Place: Two 4th Places
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4. For your THREE top
teams, fill out a JUDGES CHOICE
nomination form & turn it in with score sheet.
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Clogging and Power Tap
Categories
Freestyle,
Short Duets, A Cappella
• Novice-Champ - Score either 1, 2, or
3. (1st place, 2nd place, 3rd place)
• Adv - Champ Dance off. Dancers need 3 - "1"s to make
the dance off.
• Pro - Score 1.0, 1.1,…1.9, 2, 3 (If you score 1, add a
tenth to break ties)
Judge on its level – (Beginning as beginners do…)
All-Around Solos
CIRCLE SOLO CATEGORY ON TOP (Line. Show,
etc). All levels score simply 1, 2, or 3
• 1st place – “ Solo done correctly without any
major mistakes and/or high dance ability”
• 2nd place - “ Solo done correctly with limited
major mistakes and/or medium dance
ability”
• 3rd place - “ Solo done correctly with major
mistakes and/or low dance ability”
NOV – CHAMP DUET/TEAM (White Score Sheet)
You need to give
THREE scores on this
score sheet.
1. Circle a Technique score
based on TODAY
Perfect - 1st - 2nd - 3rd - 4th
2. Circle a Artistic score
based on TODAY
Perfect - 1st - 2nd - 3rd - 4th
Use Perfect for those amazing teams.
Use 4th Place for really struggling teams
Most teams will score in the 1st, 2nd, or 3rd Place
areas
3. Give each entry a "Judges
Bonus Score" (Overall Impression) at
bottom right between 5 - 9. (5,
6 = Bonus. 7,8,9 = HIGH GOLD Bonus. )
Any 5.0 score places dancers in HIGH GOLD
consideration. Bonuses above 7 and Two 1st Places also
has dancers in High Gold and Overall Team Consideration.
Justify your score with your PLUSES, CIRCLES and
COMMENTS.
Tell them a couple things to work on and let them know
what they also did well.
For your THREE top teams, fill out a
JUDGES CHOICE nomination
form & turn it in with score sheet
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Scoring Breakdown
1st Place High Gold: Two 1st Places and 7+ Bonus
Perfect score/1st Place = High Gold
1st Place: Two 1st Places .5 or .6 Bonus
1st Place/2nd Place 7- 9 = 1st
1st Place/2nd Place 5- 6 = 2nd
2nd Place: Two 2nd Places
2nd Place/3rd Place 7- 9 = 2nd
2nd Place/3rd Place 5- 6 = 3rd
3rd Place: Two 3rd Places
4th Place: Two 4th Places
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PRO DUET/TEAM (Yellow Score
Sheet)
• You need to give
SEVEN scores and at least
one BONUS.
• Score most teams and duets with
TWO SCORES ONLY – 1.3 EXCELLENT, or 1.4 SUPERIOR
• (A 1.2 can be given, but it's reserved for really
struggling teams.)
• If Score 1.3 MUST have at least 1 circle (negative) in
that section
• Score BONUSES where a team excels - Technique,
Artistic, or Sound
• Give each entry a "Judges Bonus Score" (Overall
Impression) at
bottom right between 5 - 9. (5, 6 = Bonus. 7,8,9 = HIGH
GOLD Bonus. )
• Perfect score is all 1.4 and 3 Difficulty Bonuses
• PLEASE WATCH THE INDIVIDUAL REQUIREMENTS for CATEGORY
SPECIFICS.
For your THREE top teams, fill out a
JUDGES CHOICE nomination
form & turn it in with score sheet
How to score?
Once dance is complete, score them at the bottom.
Score Technique
Mark a TECHNIQUE SCORE and an ARTISTIC SCORE, and a JUDGES BONUS
SCORE
If they are a 1st place level, circle the "4-1st Place"
If a 2nd place level, circle the "3-2nd Place"
If a 3rd place level, circle the "2-3rd place"
If a 4th place level, circle the "1-4th place"
If they are perfect, circle the "5-Perfect"
Most dances
score the 1st, 2nd or 3rd place scores.
Amazing dances score Perfect (5-Perfect)
Dances that are really below the scoring level score the 4th place
(1-4th Place).
We don't use the 5th place (0-5th Place) score on the score sheet.
Score Artistic
Score as above
Score JUDGES BONUS
Then add a Judges Bonus. This is at the lower right. Score the dance
on your overall impression of how much of a bonus they should
receive - 5 up to 9.
If you score a dance with TWO PERFECT SCORES, you
don't need to give a judges bonus.
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What not to do
1. Don't score a dance with All positive marks, no
circles and then score them without a PERFECT score. If they don't
have a perfect score, make sure to have something to work on.
2. Don't score many negatives and then give a perfect score.
3. Don't have a score sheet with just a few marks. Give as much
feedback as possible.
4. Don't score novice and beginning teams lower because they are in
a lower level. Score each team according to their level. It's ok to
give a novice team a perfect score if they are perfect on a novice
level.
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Judges Etiquette
Please don’t go talk with
competitors!
It gives the appearance of judges favoring certain studios.
Please wait until the event is over to say hi to any familiar
dancers.
Smile when you judge.
Everyone likes to think the judge is happy with them.
And it builds
confidence in them too.
CONFIDENTIALITY
Please don’t visit with other judges and stay focused on dancers.
Talking
with each other makes others think you are conferring what to give them. Dancers
can be quite nervous and jump to quick conclusions!
Your Opinion
Score your own
score, don’t worry if you are judging the same as another judge.
We want your
opinion!
Adhere to the quick schedule
Each AOS even is assigned with times for each dance.
Be ready to score dancers during their dance and time allotted after
the dance.
This allows us to stay on schedule
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How to Score on the Score Sheet
New Score Sheets format!
See the score sheets above on the links.
Be familiar with the areas for each score sheet.
Mark with COMMENTS, PLUSES, and
ZEROES
1. By each term, if it's POSITIVE, mark it with a "+"
2. By each term, if it NEEDS IMPROVEMENT, mark it with a "O"
3. To the side of each term, you can leave COMMENTS on
What is done well and needs improvement
While everyone wants to know what to improve on,
please have twice as many positive comments as negative.
Hearing only negative comments drives confidence away.
Technical vs Artistic
Mark specific areas for specific
comments
Score TECHNICAL and ARTISTIC separately.
Dancers who excel in one area, mar it as such.
Score according to the level
It’s alright to score a
perfect novice dance if
they are perfect in the novice level.
You don’t need to give all novice entries 4.8 because
they are not in a higher level.
Score according to the level.
A perfect Novice dance should score a
10
Multiple Awards Scoring
Score according to how they did
against a score
In our lower levels, you judge a team against a score.
Pro Clog and
Advanced Dance Scoring
Highest Levels scores against the
competitors in their age division
In our highest levels, you judge a team against each other.
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Basic Guidelines
Give us your opinion of how they
danced TODAY (not on reputation)
If they danced the best of all up there, but not as good as you have seen them,
you still give them the best score because they were the best today. Or vice
versa, if they were not the best today, but are the best overall up there, they
are not given the best score.
Judge artistic expression and technical merit separately - not a generic
score
If they know how to smile well, but can’t stay on beat, maybe score them
a 1st in artistic expression, but 3rd on technique. Don’t
loop the scores together and give two 2nds…
Score
while you watch. We go fast.
Be ready!
We have a schedule down to the minute.
Adding 15 seconds to each dance will put
a competition over by an hour by days end. Once one entry is done, the next is
on stage. Score while you watch. The schedule assumes a short time after the
dance to finish your score sheet. Thanks!
DO
NOT HOLD ANY JUDGE SHEETS
Once done, pass them to the judge runner.
DON’T
ADD SCORES.
It will be done by computer.
LUNCH
- DINNER - SNACKS PROVIDED
(don't fill up on POP!)
Sitting for a long time can make one quite uncomfortable when full on pop!
NUMBERS
We no longer have numbers on teams, dance solos, duos, trios, or clogging long
duets. There is a digital sign that has the number on it for you to write it
down.
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Additional Clogging Score Sheets and instructions
·
BLUE Freestyle, A Cappella, Short Duets, A Cappella Duets,
All-Around Solos SCORE SHEETS
Clogging Freestyle,
Short Duets, A Cappella Score Sheet. Click here to see it.
Score the score sheets by writing the number
of the dancer and then circle either a 1, 2, or 3
1st place (Circle 1), 2nd Place (Circle
2) or 3rd Place (Circle 3).
In Pro, if you give a 1st , score with a decimal 1.1, 1.2, thru
1.9. (1.0 is the best score)
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PRO TEAM and DUET SCORE SHEETS
Use the Gold/Yellow Score Sheets
Clogging Pro Team and Clog Duets. Score Sheet. Click Here to see it.
Examples of marked Score Sheets
Clogging Pro Good |
Clogging Pro Bad
There is also a CATEGORY SPECIFIC AREA to mark based on the dance you are
scoring at the top.
·
There are then THREE AREAS - Technical, Artistic and Sound. Each of these has 2
sub categories (6 total).
You will give 7 Scores (One for the category specific and one for each
sub category)
·
You MUST score all seven categories as a 1.4 or
1.3.
Don't score lower than this
unless the team is really lower than a pro team.
Each of
the three areas also has a BONUS. Score at least ONE BONUS for what a team
excels in.
You can give all three bonus if you want.
·
A perfect score is all 1.4’s and 3 difficulty bonuses.
GENERAL SPECIFICS
Each team is judges according to all general rules for all
team dances below category specifics on the score sheet.
Technical – How in sync they are with
arms, lines, mistakes, spacing, formations
Artistic – How well choreographed the
dance is including creativity, movement, music, showmanship, energy, appearance
Sound – How well sound is used in the
dance. Clarity, strength, a special place to mark how well double doubles are
done, endurance and how unique the steps are.
Using all these three areas, judge the dance.
DIFFICULTY BONUSES
If a team excels, give them a difficulty bonus. A good pro
team should have at least one difficulty bonus. Please use them as we use these
bonuses to break ties.
CLOGGING PRO CATEGORY SPECIFICS
Each team/duet category has something specific to be
judges. Use these boxes at the top to judge the specific items in each category.
Precision
·
Watch for Couple work. Turns, partners. This is not a line dance.
Should have traditional costumes and music (words and pants are OK).
·
Watch for Circle. Should involve both small and large circle
figures.
Line
·
All done in lines. No touching, holding hands or circles.
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Watch for straight lines, ripples (progessions), and movement.
Standing Line
-
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Done as if written for one person performed by many. Everyone
always in sync. No ripples or someone out of step with another
-
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Formation should move together without spacing issues
-
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Lines should remain straight.
A Cappella Production
· 2
judges will listen, three judges will score. (In Champ, one judge will listen
and two will watch). For those that listen, you will use an A Cappella score
sheet and mark your comments on how the sounds work in the dance. Score it out
of 10. For those watching, score it with a normal score sheet and score it like
a normal dance including chorepgraphy, sounds, style, etc and score it as a
normal dance. There just isn’t any music.
A Cappella
· 5
judges will listen only. Top Score is 10 (not 1.0 like in the past)
Traditional Line
-
This is a
dance with TRADITIONAL DRAG SLIDE steps only. No Canadians, no hop
doubles, every step must include a drag slide. Some buck may be done,
but it shouldn’t be exclusive. Watch for drag slide steps. If people miss
drag slides, mark it as missing, or comment on it on score sheet.
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No
choreographed arm movements. Teams may clap and move their arms, but it
shouldn’t happen that they all do the same thing at once.
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Similar to
Standing line, they move all together in one formation, no changes and no
ripples. Watch spacing and lines.
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Energy
and power are a large part of this dance as is creativity. Think of the good
old days when we danced 90 miles an hour! (Were they that long ago?)
Show
-
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Dance should have a theme. A prop is alright. Should
not be a line dance with a soundtrack song. Look for items in the dance that
relate to the theme. If there is no theme, you may penalize them. This
should not be a line dance with just a prop or just stunts.
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Stunts and lifts are welcome, but not required.
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Dance must be 50% clogging.
Open, Small, All Guys
-
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Anything can go in these dance categories.
-
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Another dance can’t be competed in these categories (someone
can’t compete their precision in the precision category and then do it again
in open. Do each dance just once per level).
-
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Judge it on your overall impression with the criteria below.
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Can be a line dance. Can be a funky dance. Anything can go.
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Small props are allowed
Duets
PENALTY (Head) Judges sheet – appoint by
stage – only fill out if have an infraction
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